Didactics and special pedagogy

Alessia Rosa is First Researcher at INDIRE's northern territorial branch. After having obtained her PhD in Educational Sciences at the University of Turin, she started her research activity in the field of media education and the use of technologies as functional tools for education to a critical and aware citizenship also in the field of special pedagogy. She has worked as an adjunct lecturer at the University of Turin and the University of Milan. Among her various experiences, it is worth mentioning that she has been a contract lecturer in the "Didactics" courses for SIS (Students
Information Systems) students in the transversal area l.143/04 m.d. 85 at the University of Turin, Faculty of Education and Training Sciences in Alessandria, Biella and Turin. She has worked as an adjunct professor at the chair of Education Sciences 2 in the disciplinary sector M-PED/03, in the PAS and SIS courses at the University of Milan.
She participated as an adjunct lecturer in the training course held by the University of Turin for teachers in the first level education schools entitled “Educational support activities for pupils with disabilities”. She is the author, together with her colleague Angnese Cattaneo, of the book, “La scuola in ascolto. Tra bisogni educativi speciali e nuove tecnologie”, Milan, 2015.

TABLE AND DEFINITION OF CONTENTS
The special pedagogy course consists of 2 modules and will cover the following contents:

⮚ Module 1 – The epistemological boundaries of special education

• 1st Unit: Fields of study and disciplinary boundaries
• 2nd Unit: Definitions and classifications of disability
• 3rd Unit: Planning, quality of life and motor education.

⮚ Module 2 – Psycho-pedagogical approaches and the community as a resource

• 1st Unit: The psycho-pedagogical approach to cognitive disorders and sensory pathologies
• 2nd Unit: The psycho-pedagogical approach to motor pathologies
• 3rd Unit: The psycho-pedagogical approach to learning disabilitie
• 4th Unit: The family context, the territorial context (between school and work) and the value of motor sciences.

Special needs is an umbrella term for a staggering array of diagnoses: physical, developmental, behavioural/emotional and sensory damage. Understanding the characteristics of special needs and their implications for behaviour, learning and life is critical for anyone working or interacting with special needs persons. This course will give participants a fundamental understanding of different special needs diagnosis, planning inclusive lessons and creating an inclusive environment.

The aim of the Special Pedagogy course is to promote the acquisition of theoretical, methodological and technical knowledge relating to didactics and special pedagogy. More specifically, the course aims to provide an overview of the peculiarities in the development of the person with disabilities, considering both the basic genetic endowment and the life contexts with particular reference to motor disciplines. At the same time, the course intends to propose the basic principles for the support of people with disabilities both within formal learning contexts, such as school, and within informal contexts such as sport-territorial ones.

The student should know the reference concepts of special pedagogy and didactics (integration and inclusion, individualisation and personalisation of teaching methods, self-determination and quality of life) and the psycho-pedagogical approach to the main types of disability. On this basis, the student should be able to understand special educational needs within different educational contexts, and learn to express opinions and evaluations, on different methodologies to build and promote inclusive contexts. To this end, the student will learn to use the language of didactics and special pedagogy. Finally, the student will be able to independently explore the main scientific-methodological questions concerning didactics and special pedagogy.

EXPECTED RESULTS

A. Use of advanced textbooks, knowledge of some cutting-edge topics in pedagogy and special didactics.

B. Professional approach to work and possession of appropriate skillsto devise arguments, support them and solve problems in the field of disability.

C. Ability to collect and interpret data useful for making independent judgements and supporting proposals.

D. Ability to communicate information, ideas, problems and solutions to expert interlocutors using appropriate and consistent terminology.

E. Ability to undertake specialist studies with a high degree of autonomy, identifying innovative streams of research and analysis in the field of special pedagogy.

DIDACTICS PROVISION

⮚ 4 recorded video lessons available on the platform;
⮚ 2 synchronous meetings on the platform ;
⮚ Podcasts of all the above-mentioned video lessons.

INTERACTIVE DIDACTICS

⮚ 1 course orientation forum;
⮚ 2 thematic follow-up forums (1 per module);
⮚ Possibility to carry out work in groups;
⮚ 2 structured e-activities (as described in the section “in itinere assessment methods”).

Teaching materials are provided: thematic insights, articles and slides by the lecturer, open access readings, online resources and a reference bibliography.

⮚ Cattaneo, A., & Rosa, A. (2015). La scuola in ascolto: tra bisogni educativi speciali e nuove tecnologie. Milano Principato.

⮚ Cottini, L., Marganti A.. (2015). Evidence-Based Education e pedagogia speciale. Rome Carocci

⮚ Cottini, L. (2012). Psicomotricità: valutazione e metodi nell’intervento. Rome Carocci.

⮚ Mitchell D. (2018), Cosa funziona realmente nella didattica speciale e inclusiva. Trento. Erickson .

⮚ Heidrun D. (2017), Didattica aperta e inclusione. Erickson

⮚ Pontis, M. (2019), Le checklist per l’autonomia. Trento. Erickson . In order to respond flexibly to the specific needs of each student, the lecturer reserves the right to recommend alternative or additional readings during the lessons and to students who ask for them.

Access to the final examination is subject to the following 2 e-activities:

⮚ E-activity 1 – Realisation of a SWOT analysis from the materials provided by the lecturer;

⮚ E-activity 2 – Analysis of the story of an athlete who participated in
the 2021 Paralympics.

The assessment of learning will take the form of an oral interview on the course contents. The grade will be determined by the level of performance for each of the following dimensions of oral interview: mastery of contents, appropriateness of definitions and theoretical references, clarity of argument, command of specialist language.

The interview consists of 3 stages:

1. The first part of the interview will concern the student’s presentation of the e-activities.

2. The second part of the interview will focus on the student’s knowledge of the topics covered in the lectures and synchronous meetings on the platform.

3. The third part of the interview will focus on questions designed to investigate the student’s competences also in relation to the topics discussed in the forums.

Italian